Curtain-stretcher



A. P.-McMAHON.

CURTAIN STRETCHER. APPLICATION HLED JUNE 14, I92Q- 1 397 533. Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

By TTOKNf) UNITED STATES PATENT orrrcs.

ALEXANDER P. MCIMAHON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CURTAIN-STRETCHER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER P. MC- MAHoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook andState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Qurtain- Stretchers, of which the following is a specification".

This invention relates to improvements in curtain stretchers and driers of the folding type. One object is to provide a simple practical device that will stretch curtains of any size without danger of injury to the finest or most delicate fabric, that is durable and that is cheap to manufacture. With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter fully described, pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and in which Figure 1 is a front view of myimproved curtain stretcher and drier illustrating its application.

Fig. 2 is an end view of Fig. 1, the split rings being eliminated.

Fig. 3 is an enlarge fragmentary view illustrating the hinge connection between certain of the elements.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating the split ring supporting and adjusting elements.

ig. 5 is a similar view of the vertically adjustable elements.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view illustrating one end of one of the hinged curtainsupporting arms and the latch device therefor.

Like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views.

My curtain stretcher and drier comprises a vertical standard 1 formed with a plurality of upper and lower perforations 2, 3 adapted to receive extensions formed upon the pintles of the hinges 4-, 5 which hinges connect the twin sections of the side rails 6, 7 respectively. The side rail sections are formed with longitudinal grooves 6 and at their relatively remote ends with the notches 8 and throughout approximately their entire length they are formed with the perforations 9 through which the wires 10 extend that terminally carry the split rings 11 and that at their inner ends are soldered, or otherwise secured, to the e t ns on arms 12 that Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 14, 1920.

Patented Nov. 22, 1221.

Serial No. 388,844.

telescope into the grooves 6 in said side rail sections, said arms 12 being formed at their ends with the notches 13 adapted to be engaged by the spring pawls 14 carried by the free ends of the rail sections to retain said arms in adjusted position. Each extension arm 12 is provided at its outer end with a handle 15. By telescoping the arm 12 into the grooves of the rail sections 6 or 7 the wires 10 are paid out through the perforations 9 and the rings 11 moved away from the said rail sections. A reverse movement of the extension arms will move the rings back toward the rail sections.

The siderails 6 7 are removably disposed in the recesses 16 formed in the end rails 17 each of said end rails being formed with a.number of recesses 16 to correspond in number to the perforations 2, 3 in the standard 1, said side rails and arms 12 being provided with the cover strips 18 also adapted to fit into the said recesses 16 as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The notches in said side rails are adapted for engagement with the recessed portions 16 of the end rails whereby said members are adjustably supported in operative position. The end rails 17 are formed with recesses 17* and are formed approximately throughout their length with a plurality of perforations 19 through which the wires 20 extend that terminally carry the split rings 21 and that at their inner ends are soldered, or otherwise secured, to the slide strips 22 disposed in the recesses 17 and which strips are actuated by the blocks 23 secured thereto and provided with the handles 24, said blocks working in the elongated recesses formed in a cover strip 25 and in recesses 17 of said end rails, said slide strips being provided, further, with the teeth 26 adapted, in one position of said strips, for engagement with the pawls 27 pivotally secured to said strips and working in the recess thereof. By manually moving the slide blocks 23 toward the lower ends of the recesses 17', 25 the rings 21 are moved toward the end rails, and a reverse movement of said slide blocks will move the strips 22, when the pawls 27 are raised, in an upward direction paying out the wires 20 and moving the rings 21 outwardly from the said end rails.

To the rear faces of the end rails and of the standard 1 I secure the hooks 28 the curved ends of which are nearly closed so that one end of the brace bars .29 will be retained in either hook end desired. When the brace bais are disposed in the lower ends oi the hooks said brace bars serve as legs to support the device in operative position. ,VVhen the device is to be knocked down or folded' the edgesof the curtain am engaged by the split rings 11, 21. 7 By moving the handles 15 outwardly the curtain is stretched in a vertical plane. By pulling the handles 24 downwardly the curtain is stretched in ahorizontal plane.

What is claimed'isz- 1. Ina curtain stretcher, a standard, end rails formedwith longitudinal recesses, folding side rails formed with longitudinal recesses and with a plurality of perforations,

sliding strips disposed in the recesses of said side and end rails, cover strips for said slidarms and by said slide strips.

ing strips, the cover strips for the sliding strips carried by the end rails being perforated, wires secured to both sets of sliding strips, one set of wires extending through the perforations in the perforated strips and the other set extending through the perforations in the side rails, and split rings carried by said wires. a

2. In a curtain stretcher, a standard, hinge-connected side rail sections having their non-hinged ends formed with notches, the hinges of said side rail sections being adjustably carried by said standard, ad-

justable extension arms carried by said side 1 rails, end rails formedwith grooves for adustable engagement with the notched portions of said side ralls, slide strips ad ustably carried said end rails, and curtain engaging means carried by said extension In testimony that claim the foregoing-as my own I have hereto aifixed my signature in the presence of two subscriblng witnesses ALEXANDER P. M MAHON.

\Vitnessesi FRANK JQ ,BODTKE, HARRY E. LLNDEBQRG. 

